Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-30
A Meaning and Pointed Letter Sent
Into Circulation by Presi-
dent Austin COrbin.
Superintendent Swiegard Refuses to Rec
ognize the Committee Sent from
the Knights Of Labor.
The New Scale Not Liked by the Steel
Manufacturers. Who Refuse TO
Sign It-0ther Labor Notes.


defined the position of the company toward
its employees, in a letter sent at noon today
TO A. \. Mcleod, general manager, with
instructions to communicate its contents
to the men 1t read as follows:
ITO such of our old employees who have
stood faithfully by us, we feel obliged and
thankful, and shall not forget them, but
the time has now arrived when all Of our
employees will be required 10 retain their
places by reason OF honest and faithful
service and prompt obedience to the Or
ders of the company that employs and pays
them or blind obedience to the directions
of the Knights of Labor. through which
organization the leaders hope to coerce rs
into the employment OF men
who consider their first obedience due
to that order The men who stand
by us viii have employment with reason
able hours and good pay-as much as is
paid by any other corporation OF similar
character The men who do not Will never
be allowed on the road again under any
circumstances. We have never objected to
Labor organization and do not now. Every
man snail be free to belong to or not as he
pleases. but the orders cannot and shall
not dictate to this company as to whom IT
shall employ. or how TO operate its prop
ertv. Places that are left III obedience TO
orders of the knights of Labor will be
filled with new men and such new men
will he retained. and under no circum-
stances will they be discharged TO make
room for men who have left their places.
Hereafter we shall operate this property
with employees who consider their first duty
Is to their employers. There has been no
moment when, under any circumstances,
we would arbitrate any question growing
out of this strike
There has been nothing to arbltrate. Ii
l. only a question as to whether the com
pauy wild be- permitted to operate its own
property. a property in which there is in
vested over $2tN, 10000, or whether that
property shall be controlled by the knights
Of Labor. Is may as well be understood
now ana from this time on. that every
wheel which is turned Oh the Reading sys-
tenn shall be Turned on the orders of tina;
company, and under orders of nobody
else
READING, Dee. 29-The van guard of
the delegates 10 the convention OF Reading
railroad employees to be held in this city
tonight arrived this morning Every local
assembly in the anthracite region embrac-
ing the Schrylkill, Lehigh and Wyoming
regions will be fully represented, and the
meeting viii be one of the most important
that has been held for long time, as it
viii decide if the knights viii pool their
issues in night and stand together or let
the railroad men fight their OWL battle
Reading railroad and a committee from
the executive committee of the striking
employees who belong 10 the knights of
Labor, came together again this morn
ing and parted after a snort but stormy
session. Chairman .iohn :. Lee ard H. =
Bennett. members of the executive com
mittee of the knights called at the Fourth
street office of the company before ~
o'clock. Scattered about the hall ard
down stairs at the entrance. We're other
members of the same committee. bUt none
save the two mentioned made ANY effort To
see Superintendent SWeigar8. As soon as
they arrived Mr.. Lee sent in IL slip bearing
his name and that Of Bennett The only
response he received was word from a
messenger that the superintendent would
e him after while. He waited patiently
and in the meantime informed a reporter
the committee had called in response to a
request of the superintendent. Under
stand he said. I'VE did not seek this inter
view, though the cOmpany's officers will
doubtless tell you we did Just as they
SAID they never agreed to arbitration,
when in fact, they did
An hour passed and Lee and Bennett
became restless and again was a meSSen-
ger dispatched to the superintendent
office with "a sin of paper bearing the
names of the Knights of Labor Again
came the answer 10 wait outside. Half
an hour later the superintendent left the
general managers office and crossing to
where Lee stood. said, II will see you
now" The chairman was on his feet in
minute. his hat in his hand.
But Mr.. Bennett * with me. " he said
Il can't help that, replied the superin-
tendent, my business Is with YOU, and |
am ready to talk To no one else
Bennett is member Of the executive
committee, and ii you see me You must see
him also"
I ~, !
ent's reply.
Then Lee and Bennett drew aside and
held n short consultation. 1t lasted but
moment, and when it was over Lee turned
to the superintendent and said: We have
agreed. sir, thar as long r. you sent for us,
we will not allow this conference to take
place as personal Interview Mr. ben
nett l. present, not only a. Il member OF
the committee but a. \ witness
II have said" said Mr.. Swigald that |
VIII only talk with you. II YOU choose 10
do that, come into my Office. and he en-
tered the room and closed the door
Again did Lee and Bennett consult and
ii was decided to make one more attemU;
10 get the superintendent 10 recognize
both men-'Just To see. explained
the chairman whether or not the compa-
ny plan is 10 ignore the Knights of Labor
entirely ThereupOn he entered the Office
and paused on the threshold, leaving the
SNd TO the superintendent, to recognize
TINS committee because il is "A committee.
and II 80, for what reason do YOU refuse"
Il VIII recognize no committee. WIS
the reply plainly heard by those outside
Il VIII talk with Nou If y0u wish. but
VIII recognize 40 committee from any or
gauization.
Then Lees answer was If you will not
recognize the committee | represent, YOU
cannot recognize ME; good day. sir With
that he left the Office, and joining Bennett
left the building
READING, Pa, Dec. .2-Two hundred
ana hity delegates representing the Read
ing railroad and coal and iron companv'S
employees throughout the territory covered
10y the company : tracks, met here tonight
vi special convention. to take into conSid
aration their relations with the COmpanv.
he coal regions sent the largest deiega-
ion-nearly lo0 men. The meeting was
secret one. The first two honrS were taken
up IN hearing reports from
all the assembly districts. The
burden OF those from the coal regions was
hat the miners had grievances that they
considered themselves entitled 70 con
flnuance of the per cent increase, ana
That they tthe mlners' would h- bound 10y
he action II the convention The major
.ty of the delegates pre~e nj seemed To think
nat the strike on the railroad was for the
most part over, and Jh&t the convention
should devote itself TO doing the best il
,ould Tor the miners, unless the men in
his city should reconsider their former
action not II strike
At midnight the convention i still in
session without having Janen determines.
action on amy subject. The indications
are that a strike in he Schuylkin mining
region Will be ordered
WANT MORE WAGES.
PTTTsBUgG. Dec pa prominent ORC